I'm finally back! Finally updating! Yes, yes. Writer's block is mean, but it's going away now. Here's a hint: don't be offput by things that may happen -- jumping to conclusions is unwise. Trust me! Okay, I'm trying not to give anything away, but any of you who know me, know my typical pairing. So if that kind of pairing is your bag of chips, then just wait -- all in due time!

Thanks SO MUCH to Johnny'shumiliatedgrape,iliveinmiddleearth, andElven-Roarior-Jeavrynfor reviewing! You guys rock!

CHAPTER 4: SACRIFICE

The next day, Kylia stood by the helm next to Jack anxiously. Shefton Island… It wasn't too far from where they were. They'd be there in a few hours. She tapped her foot impatiently and sighed frequently. She stared at the horizon intently, hoping to glimpse the island, but… she couldn't see it -- just some ship…

"So… Kylia…" Jack began, glancing over at her, "remember what you promised a little while ago? Before our run in with Xavier?" She looked at him, trying to remember. "You said if I let you captain the ship, you'd…"

"Ohh, right." she recalled. "I'm not going to."

"What!" he exclaimed. "You promised!"

"I'm a pirate -- I lied." she replied obviously. He stared out at the horizon angrily. "Come on, are you suffering that much?"

"Does it turn you on?"

"Shut up."

As the ship grew a bit closer to them, Kylia's stomach knotted. It couldn't be…

"JACK!" she exclaimed.

"Woah, sweetheart, I'm righ' 'ere -- don' need to yell…" he said, startled.

"THAT'S -- THAT'S IT! THAT'S -- IT!" she cried hysterically.

"What's what?" he asked confusedly. "What are you talkin' about?"

"The ship! That ship! That one!" she replied, pointing at the ship in the distance. "That's it! That's my Estrella!"

"You sure?" he asked.

"Of course I'm sure!" she screamed. "Beeline for it! Follow it!"

Jack nodded and turned the helm toward the ship in the distance. After a little while, the course started to seem familiar.

"Looks like 'e's goin' to Port Royal…" Jack mumbled watchfully.

"That's close, right?" she asked. "Because I want my ship back now."

"Aye, it's close…" he replied offhandedly. "But… if this bloke is as bad as you say 'e is… then… won' 'e be tryin' to sack it…?"

"I guess so." she said. "…Why?"

"Well, I got friends there -- I don' want anythin' to 'appen to them…" he told her.

"Well, we get the Estrella back and there's no doubt that Hart'll be dead." she stated. "Don't worry about it." Jack nodded and they continued sailing tensely. Finally, they'd followed the ship to its destination -- Jack was right. It was Port Royal. They arrived a little while after the Estrella did. Kylia was waiting at the edge of the ship to jump onto the Estrella as soon as she could. They came up beside the docked ship and Kylia swung across on a rope. She went to the door that lead to the lower levels and leaned up against it to wait for Hart's arrival.

Just then, Hart boarded the Estrella, lugging a girl behind him.

"Quit struggling, wench!" Hart ordered the girl. "You hear me! It'll do you no good!" He started for the door Kylia was at, not paying attention to his surroundings. The girl was screaming for help.

"Why, Hart, it's been ages, you bastard." Kylia said, faking a friendly tone. Hart looked up at her sharply, still holding tightly onto the girl.

"…H-Halen…" Hart stuttered, being the only thing he could say.

"Yep, it's me." she replied. "Now, if you don't mind, I'd like my ship back, alright?"

"Hey, I--" Hart was cut off by a man coming up behind him and trying to attack him. Hart let go of the girl and pulled out his sword quickly, intending to fight the man. The poor man had no weapon, but seemed to be angry like nobody's business… It was no contest. Hart quickly held his sword up to the man's neck and he froze. Hart went around behind the man and stationed himself there, keeping his sword where it was. "Halen, get off my ship."

"Like hell it's your ship!" Kylia exclaimed angrily. "You get the fuck off my ship!"

"I'll kill this man if you don't get off." Hart stated.

"I don't know who he hell he is -- why should I care?" Kylia asked.

"Oh, please, Halen." he scoffed. "Like you're not just as merciful as you always were? Even though that's what makes you weak, it's to my advantage, isn't it?"

Jack and the crew of the Pearl had come aboard and were being given quite a task, fighting with crewmembers of the Estrella. They were strong and fast and merciless. Kylia glared at Hart.

"So, get off and I'll let this man go." Hart stated. The girl he had been restraining was now being held by another one of Hart's crew. "Don't lie, Halen, I know what you really are."

"…And that would be?" she asked.

"Just what I said. A weakling." he replied bitterly. "Too much mercy."

Kylia bit the inside of her cheek, bottling rage. She had to keep a clear head. Plus, why should this man die because of her…?

"What about the girl?" she asked him. "Will you let her go, too?"

"Sure." he replied. "I'll just get another one somewhere else."

Kylia glared at him with pure hatred. She could see that the crew of the Pearl couldn't beat the crew of the Estrella. Besides… these innocent people…

"I'm going to kill you someday, Hart." she told him. "I really am. This ship will never be yours." Hart laughed at her. She sighed. "Let them go." Much of the Pearl's crew had already retreated and gone back to the ship -- many nearly lost their lives. Hart released the man he had been threatening and motioned for his crewmember to release the girl.

"Goodbye, Halen." Hart bid her tauntingly. "I'll miss you dearly. Now, off my ship."

She gritted her teeth in anger and looked at the man and woman. "Come with me." They nodded and Kylia went to the railing of the ship. She ran her hand over the railing for a moment and looked back scornfully at Hart who grinned at her. She grabbed a rope and swung back over to the Pearl -- the man and woman followed suit. The rest of the Pearl's crew retreated and Hart gave the orders for the Estrella Grande to set sail.

Kylia angrily smacked herself in the forehead and let out a cry of frustration. Just then, Jack came up on deck. Kylia watched the Estrella sail farther away from her.

"Shit." she stated angrily. "Shit shit shit."

"Will! Elizabeth!" Jack exclaimed, coming over to them. "'ey! What a surprise! What brings you 'ere?"

"Oh, you… know these people?" Kylia asked him, recovering from her anger a little.

"O' course I do!" he replied, pleased to see them.

"Well, good…" she said. "Glad I didn't waste my chance to get my ship back for nothing…"

"What do you mean?" Jack asked.

"She made that man let us go -- in exchange for her to leave." Will piped in. "Thank you, Miss." Kylia nodded, sighing. "He was going to kill us…"

"Well, he was going to kill you, maybe." Kylia stated. "Not you, though." she said to Elizabeth. "Would've been worse…"

"Well, thank you…" Elizabeth replied, still a little shaken up.

"Ah, Kylia, I'm proud o' you!" Jack exclaimed, clapping her on the back. "That was a great thing you did." She nodded, sighing again. "So, Will, Elizabeth, 'ow are you doin'?"

"Alright…" Will told him. "We've been--"

"Before you speak, William," Elizabeth interrupted, "Jack, take me back ashore."

"What?" Jack asked. "Before we get to catch up? Why?"

"I don't want to be near this man." Elizabeth stated, referring to Will.

"Elizabeth!" Will exclaimed. "I just tried to save your life!"

"That doesn't mean I forgive you!" Elizabeth cried. "Jack, now, please!"

Jack shrugged and nodded. He ordered one of the crewmembers to ready a lifeboat.

"Elizabeth, you're making a mountain out of a molehill!" Will yelled. "Honestly!"

"I said I didn't want to talk to you!" she screamed at him, turning her back.

"Why do you have to be so crazy!" he exclaimed.

"Oh, sure, I'm the crazy one!" she cried. "When it's you who can't decide what on earth you even want in life! Don't talk to me!"

Will sighed in annoyance and turned to Kylia. "Anyway… I didn't introduce myself… I'm Will Turner."

"Oh, aye, I've heard a lot about you in stories." Kylia told him. "Kylia Halen, by the way."

"It's nice to meet you." Will said, taking her hand and kissing it.

"…You, too…" she replied. No one treated her like that… Wow…

The lifeboat was readied and Jack rowed Elizabeth to the shore. Kylia and Will started talking, waiting for Jack to get back. The more she talked to him, the more she started to worry about herself. She found Will very sweet and charming and handsome and understanding… She was afraid she was falling for him… This quick, though? It's not possible… is it? Jack returned to the ship and went to Kylia and Will.

"Ugh… where do we go now?" Kylia asked, distressed. "We have no idea where he's going…"

"'ey, love, did you think I'd let you down?" Jack asked. "I caught one o' 'is crewmembers an' locked 'im in the brig." Kylia smiled, sighing in relief.

"Thanks, Captain." she said, smiling. "Let's go question him. I'm really angry and I really want to hit someone."

"Sounds like fun, sweetheart." Jack replied. "Oh, wait a minute. Will, you want to join us? Adventuring, pirating… Come on… I've missed you, mate." Will thought for a moment. "An'… whatever's goin' on between you an' Elizabeth… maybe you jus' need to get away for a little while… So, you with us?"

"…Yes… yes, I am." Will told him.

"Great!" Jack exclaimed. "'ey, the more, the merrier, aye?"

Kylia was quite pleased about this… Well, Will was nice to talk to, that's all. Of course… that's all…

"Well, let's go do some questioning -- I need some violence in my life right now." Kylia stated. They went down to the brig and Kylia went into Hart's crewmember's cell. "Why, hello, there. What's your name?"

"…Adrian Crenshaw…" the man admitted. "But that's all I'm saying."

"Well, I guess Hart hired you, then -- I don't remember you." she said, faking a sweet tone. "Would you like to tell me where he's going now?" The man didn't answer. "Aww, I hoped you'd say that." She grabbed onto the collar of his shirt and pulled him up, slamming him against the wall. She punched him in the face. "How 'bout now? You want to tell me?" No answer. She smiled and punched him in the face several more times. She pulled out her sword and held it near his groin. "I'm sure you want to tell me now, right?"

"H-hey…" Crenshaw stuttered.

"Now." she stated. "I'm really angry at Hart and you have no idea how much I want to do this."

He stared at her for a moment and realized she was telling the truth. "…Isla De la Cólera…"

Kylia smiled. "See, that wasn't so hard." she said. "Though I'm a little disappointed at the same time… Ah, well. I suppose we let you go now." She shoved him forward and put her sword to his back. She forced him up on deck, Jack and Will followed. "Thanks for the information, buddy." She shoved him overboard. Will raised his eyebrows in surprise. She turned to them. "So, on to Isla De la Cólera, then."

That night, Jack heard footsteps up on deck. They'd dropped canvas -- what was anyone doing up there? He had nothing else to do, so he got up and went up on deck. Kylia was leaning over the railing, getting sick. Jack furrowed his brow and started towards her.

"You alrigh', darling?" he asked, coming to her side.

"…I'm -- fine…" she coughed. "Don't worry about me. Go back downstairs."

He looked at her worriedly. "No, 'ey, if you're not feelin' well--" she got sick again, "you should be in bed."

"No… it happens all the time, don't worry…" she told him.

"It 'appens all the time!" he exclaimed. "Tha's not good, sweetheart!"

"Whatever, Jack, I'm fine." she coughed. "Don't worry about me. …Just go back downstairs -- I'll be fine."

Jack sighed. "Alrigh', love…" He went back downstairs, wondering why Kylia doesn't do something about this…

It would take a week to get to Isla De la Cólera, and all they could do on the way was converse with each other, really. Will and Kylia had gotten surprisingly close. Kylia thought Will was gallant and charming, and Will thought Kylia was confident and interesting. Both regarded these qualities to be a breath of fresh air to each other. Jack was really busy with on-deck work and hadn't gotten to spend much time with Kylia -- he was actually starting to get a little jealous. Why would he be jealous!

Another night, Jack heard someone on deck again. Worried it was Kylia, he went up on deck. Sure enough, Kylia was leaning over the railing, getting sick again. He went to her.

"Darling, you got to do something about this." he told her. "It's not good."

"Stay out of my business, Jack." she coughed. "Just stay out of it."

"Kylia, you're… part o' me crew, even if it's only temporary… ergo, I care about your well-being." he said. "You're goin' to hack up your spleen at this rate."

She got sick again. "…J-just stay out of it, alright! I'm fine -- I'm always fine!"

"'ow often does this 'appen?" he asked. She didn't answer. "Kylia, your captain asked you a question."

She glanced back at him, pale in the face, and back down at the water below her. "…A couple times a week… nowadays it's getting to be almost every other day…"

"This is serious, love." he told her. "I'm goin' to 'ave you talk to Anamaria about it, alrigh'?"

"No." she stated, coughing. "I don't want anyone's help."

"Whether you want it or not, sweetheart, you're gettin' it." he pressed.

"Jack, just leave me alone." she told him, standing up straight. "I'll be fine -- I always am."

"So, what, you're jus' goin' to wait until you lose an organ to do somethin' about this?" he asked.

"Don't over dramatize." she said, heading for the door. He followed her. "I'm used to this -- don't worry about it."

"I do worry about it, love." he told her. "So I order you to talk to Anamaria about this."

She looked at him for a moment. "…No."

"I said, I order you." he stated. "As Captain, I order you."

"…Fine." she replied irritably, and went downstairs to talk to Anamaria. Jack knew just how to get to Kylia. Since she, herself, used to be a captain, she respects the authority that any captain has (provided they're worth respecting).

"Anamaria?" Kylia called, knocking on Anamaria's door. A moment later, Anamaria opened it.

"Aye?" Anamaria asked. "Hey, you don't look so good…"

"Er… Jack told me to come and talk to you…" Kylia hesitated, embarrassed at having to ask for help.

"Well, come in, then." Anamaria told her. They sat down on Anamaria's bed.

"It's nothing important, Jack's just being crazy…" Kylia said, "but… I don't know… I've been getting sick a lot lately. It used to be a few times a week but now it's almost every other day…"

After talking for a few minutes about this dilemma, Anamaria came to a conclusion.

"Well… I think I've come to a conclusion." Anamaria stated. "But you're not going to like it…"

"Well… I can't talk to Jack without an answer, so…"

"…The problem here, Kylia… is… well… you drink too much." Anamaria told her reluctantly.

"What! So I drink! Big deal! What difference does it make! I've been drinking all my life and nothing happened! If anything, I've built up an immunity--"

"It doesn't work like that." Anamaria pressed. "It doesn't 'build up,' it wears down… Look… This is serious… You've got to stop."

Kylia faltered. "…Stop? You don't mean… stop… for good…?"

"Aye, stop drinking for good." Anamaria replied. "If you value your life, that is." she added, seeing Kylia's utter despair. "And chances are… you'll feel better, anyway. You don't feel healthy, do you?" Kylia shook her head distantly. "Well, that'll change, then. It's not… going to be easy, but… you're going to have to… This really is serious."

Kylia accepted this, but was not willing to give up rum entirely right away… It wasn't that easy! Sure, it sounds easy. Just drink water from now on -- NOT! She was really going to be struggling with this…

Kylia stormed back to her room and slammed the door shut angrily.

'I hate my life!' she thought, in rage. 'I hate it! It's all gone to hell!'

She picked up a vase that was innocently sitting on her dresser and smashed it against the wall opposite her. She kicked a chair and accidentally caused one of its legs to fly off. She crossed over to the other side of the room, looking for something else to break. When she didn't spot anything she could afford to break (as breaking the lantern would cause quite an annoying fire and possibly kill everyone), she pounded her fists against the wall angrily. She continually needed something to hit, so kept on abusing the poor wall. She threw her final punch as hard as she could into the wall with her left hand. She yelled in pain, having unintentionally broken three of her knucklebones. Of course, this didn't cheer her up any. She stalked over to her dresser, cursing loudly, and pulled out some bandaged in which she wrapped her hand. She finally flopped down, fuming, onto her bed, cursing her entire existence. After a few moments, there came a knock at the door.

"I don't want to talk to anyone!" Kylia yelled in a shrill, annoyed voice.

"Kylia, I--" Jack began, but was cut off my Kylia's angry rants.

"No!" she yelled. "I don't want to talk to ANYONE!"

"But Kylia, I jus' thought I could--"

"Fuck off, fuck off, fuck off!" she screamed, turning over and burying her face in her pillow. Jack sighed, a little hurt (…?) and leaned up against the wall, worrying.

After a few more moments, Will came upon Jack and spoke to him.

"Don' even try, mate, she's 'opeless." Jack stated irritably.

Will thought about this for a moment, but knocked on Kylia's door nonetheless.

"JACK, I TOLD YOU THREE TIMES TO FUCK OFF -- WHAT DON'T YOU UNDERSTAND ABOUT THAT!" Kylia yelled at the top of her lungs.

"Erm, Kylia, it's Will… I was just a little worried…"

"Oh… Will…" Kylia said, her tone changing entirely. "Erm… well… you don't… really need to worry about me, you know…"

"Well, I heard about this… erm, problem of yours and have also heard from Anamaria what you have to do… about giving up rum…" Will stated, trying to offer some kind of consolation to her. "I… think it's a really difficult thing for you to do and… well, I commend you agreeing to try."

Kylia paused. "Erm… Will, you don't need to stand out there, why don't you come in?"

Jack watched Will enter the room with a furrowed brow. What was going on? Jack thought he was just being paranoid when he thought something was going on between Will and Kylia, but… this is… well, proof, isn't it? Kylia doesn't open up to anyone, really, even when they showed her kindness like Jack had… This sudden thing going on between Will and Kylia was seriously alarming him. Will needed to think about Elizabeth here! He can't just throw it away! Jack, not being the match-making type at all, and scowling at the mere thought of the term, still thought Will and Elizabeth belonged together and that there was no doubt of it. Jack had to find some way to stop this. For Elizabeth. Yeah… for Elizabeth…

Okay, well, I hoped that wasn't a letdown for you guys... As with basically all of my fics, the story becomes most focused on the characters, rather than the actual adventure... Hey, some people like that! I mean, look at all the people who worship Moon Child! It's basically the same thing. Sort of. Without Gackt, Hyde, and vampires... Oh, yeah... Moon Child is a Japanese movie starring Gackt and Hyde (Jrockers). Erm... anyway, I digress! I hope you all are enjoying it so far! And I hope to update faster than I did last time!

PLEASE REVIEW! I love you all!

Oh, by the way, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory is AMAZING. I saw it every day for three days straight. It was brilliant andHILARIOUS and better than the first adaptation (if you can call it that...). Everyone go see it because it's fun!

I am also heartbroken by Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince. I shan't give any spoilers, but I am devastated. DEVASTATED. It was a good book, but my love for the series has taken a severe blow... Anyway... yeah...